Specialty choice of black medical school graduates.

The choice of specialty by black U.S. citizens serving in residencies as of September 1977 is compared with the choice pattern of all physicians certified by specialty boards as of December 31, 1977. It is suggested that the choice pattern of all board-certified physicians represents a random choice, free from systematic bias. By comparing the choice patterns, it can be determined whether there is evidence of systematic bias which might suggest the presence of exogenous biasing forces. The results of the analysis indicate that the choice patterns of black residents are almost identical to the choice pattern of all physicians certified by specialty boards. The implication of this is that the choice of black U.S. citizens can be considered to be as free from biasing forces as is the choice of all board-certified physicians.